RI 'understands' Suu Kyi's demand for colleagues' release

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia views the reported statement of Myanmar prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to deny her release without the freedom of 35 of her colleagues as being in line with the demand of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) member countries.

Spokesman for the Indonesian foreign ministry Marty Natalegawa said it had been ASEAN's stance that the release of Suu Kyi should be placed within the context of national reconciliation efforts in Myanmar, not just the prodemocracy leader herself.

"It would seem to be consistent that her release should be part of wider reconciliation efforts; by implication, it should be more than just about Madame Suu Kyi herself," Marty told The Jakarta Post upon leaving for Tunis on Sunday.

He emphasized that ASEAN's stance had been conveyed to the Myanmar military authorities during the regional grouping's latest summit in Bali last month.

"During the summit, the junta informed us that Suu Kyi was not under house arrest but we said that we sought her release as part of national reconciliation in the country," he said.

Marty was commenting on the recent report from UN human rights envoy Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, who said, after a two-hour meeting with Suu Kyi, that the opposition leader was resisting her release until her supporters had been released too.

"We urged that Myanmar proceed with the democratization road map and national reconciliation, as it said it would," Marty said.

Suu Kyi was detained by the Myanmar military junta following clashes between her supporters and government supporters on May 30.

The demand for her release came not only from ASEAN, but also many countries and organizations outside the region, with donor countries such as Japan and the U.S. deciding to cut their financial aid to the country.

Indonesia, as the chair of ASEAN, has continued to increase pressure on the Myanmar government to go ahead with the reconciliation process.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri publicly asked Yangon to announce a clear timetable for the democratization road map in the country that is currently under military rule.

In her latest meeting with Myanmar Prime Minister Gen. Khin Nyut, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit, Megawati once again stressed that Indonesia would like to see a timetable for reconciliation.

On the same occasion, ASEAN leaders agreed to allow more leeway for the Myanmar government to deal with its domestic problems, to ensure a smooth democratization process.